Wil Wheaton is FUCKING Awesome!
If you were a child of the 80s, or, like myself a Trekkie and/or a horror movie fan, then most likely, you are at least passingly familiar with Wil Wheaton. He is most known for his roles as Gordie Lachanze in Stand By Me, and Wesley Crusher in the first four seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Wheaton was born in Burbank, California on July 29th, 1972 to actress Deborah "Debbie" Nordean (née O'Connor) and medical specialist, Richard William Wheaton, Jr. He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy. He grew up an avid fan of the sci-fi series Star Trek.
His acting career began in 1981 with the television film A Long Way Home; his first film credit was the role of Martin Brisby in The Secret of NIHM, the animated adaption of Robert C. O'Brien's beloved novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Before appearing in 1986's Stand By Me, Wheaton has a minor role in 1984's The Last Starfighter, though his role as Louis's friend was, unfortunately, cut.
Stand By Me made a household name out of Wil Wheaton, and his was delighted to land the role of Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wesley was not received well by fans, and a certain group took to bashing not only the character, but Wil as well, online. In an interview with WebTalk Radio, Wheaton is quoted as saying: "Later, I determined that the people who were really, really cruel – like the Usenet weenies – really are a statistically insignificant number of people. And I know, just over the years from people who've e-mailed me at my website and people who I've talked to since I started going to Star Trek conventions again in the last five years, that there are so many more people who really enjoyed everything about the show, including my performance, including the character."
After 3 seasons, he was ready to pursue other avenues -- but still remain a regular on the show, but, that is not how fate played out. On his blog site Wil Wheaton DOT net, he revealed the true reason that he left the beloved series early in the fourth season:
""Here's the absolute truth why I left Star Trek. I left Star Trek because it was seriously interfering with my career in feature films. I was in a situation where I was constantly having to pass on really good movie roles because I was on the series. I had a film career before Star Trek. People knew me before Star Trek. As a matter of fact, at Comic Con, a lot of people came up to me and said, "I started watching Star Trek because you were on it and I was fan of yours from Stand By Me and I stopped watching it after you left." I had a lot of people say that to me.After something like this had happened a lot of times, this was finally the last straw: I had been cast by Milos Foreman to be in Valmont. I had gone through lots and lots of callbacks, I had met Milos personally a number of times and he was really supporting me and telling me, "I want you in my movie." I was going to go to Paris and I was going to be in this movie and stuff and what happened was we were going to shoot it during the hiatus and the shooting schedule for Valmont would have carried me over about a week into the regular season schedule into Star Trek. I would have had to sit out the first episode of the year, right. That's not a big deal, it's not like I'm the fuckin' Captain, you know. At that point, I was the guy who pushed buttons and said, "Yes, sir!" So, I said to the people on Star Trek, "I need to be written out of this particular episode, because I'm going to do this movie and my film career's going to take off." This is after Gene Roddenberry had died. Had Gene been alive, it would have been no problem at all, because Gene was that kind of guy. Gene would have said, "Great! Go ahead, you do what you need to do," because he was that kind of person. After Gene died, a very different type of person took over and they said, "We can't write you out because the first episode of the season is all about you. It focuses entirely on your character and it's your story..." So, he said to me, "The story is entirely about you, we can't write you out." I said, "Well, this really sucks, but I'm under contract to you guys and if that's your call and if that's what you say I have to do, I have to do." I had to pass on the movie.A couple of days before the season was ready to premiere, they wrote me out of the episode entirely. What they were doing was they were sending me a message. The message was, "We own you. Don't you ever try to do anything without us." That was the last straw for me. I called my agents and said, "They don't own me. It's time for me to leave this show, it's time for me to be gone." That's what really pushed me over the edge. It's not worth it anymore. That's why I left."
He was written out of The Next Generation, but appeared in two episodes of the fifth and seventh seasons, as well as an appearance in the final film in the series, Nemesis.
After appearing as Joey Trotta in 1991's Toy Soldiers, Wheaton moved to Topeka Kansas, a time he recalls as a period of growth, and the time away from the acting world and Los Angeles, helped him with his anger. He began working at NewTech, helping to develop the Video Toaster 4ooo, as a quality control and product tester. He became a technology evangelist for the product, using his public platform.
He eventually moved back to LA and enrolled in acting school for five years. Much to his disappointment, his acting career did not take off as well as he'd hoped. Despite roles in indie films such as The Good Thing and Jane White Is Sick & Twisted, the latter of which garnered him the Best Actor Award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. His favorite movie he's worked on is Mr. Stitch, which was released in 1995.
In 1999, Wheaton married the love of his life, Anne Prince. He later adopted her older son at the age of 19, upon his request. Wil and Anne are still happily together. He has a tattoo of her heartbeat on his left arm, so that he can carry her with him wherever he goes; he chose his left arm, because he's left-handed and that makes him feel like she's guiding him.
With his acting career facing a dismal future, Wil started experimenting with GeoCities and developed a weblog -- before blogs were cool -- the aforementioned Wil Wheaton DOT Net. Despite initial cruelty from fucktards, the blog blew up and was eventually adapted into his two of memoirs: Dancing Barefoot and Just A Geek. As of 2018, he has 13 published works to his name, available both in print and in digital. He also has his own comic book series -- with Felicia Day -- called The Guild: Fawkes. He appears in the comic book PS 238 as himself, but with telekinesis. Wil Wheaton DOT NET is still active, offering Wil's thoughts and feelings on his acting career, gaming, his family, his struggles with chronic depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and his love of poker.
Besides acting and writing, Wil Wheaton has also dabbled in hosting His talk show The Wil Wheaton Show ran for a year on the ScyFy channel before getting cancelled, however, in 2012, he co-created the webseries TableTop with Felicia Day. The fourth season aired in 2017. As of 2018, it has not yet been canceled.
Wil has enjoyed a successful career as a voice-over actor in cartoons such as Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go!, Family Guy, and Kyle + Rosemary, as well as video games like Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and San Andreas, Code Name S.T.E.A.M., Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks, and Fall Out: New Vegas.
Since 2009, Wheaton has made guest appearances on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory as a comedically arrogant version of himself, as well as appearing on Eureka, Leverage, The Weakest Link, Criminal Minds, and Numb3rs.
Last, but certainly not least, he is a member of the EarnestBorg9, a traveling improv/sketch comedy troupe, performing when and where his schedule permits. There is lterally nothing that Wil Wheaton cannot do.
He still makes appearances at conventions and is a frequent guest of the Star Trek cruises.
I don't understand how anyone could have a bad word to say about Wil Wheaton. He is literally the coolest dude ever, and the nicest person. The man literally has his wife's heartbeat tattooed on his arm! Seriously, stop the hate! If you didn't like the character of Wesley, hate Wesley, not the actor who portrayed him. It's not like Wil had any control over his character. And, really, who has nothing better to do than attack a celebrity that you have never met? I wish I had that amount of free time to kill. What we tend to forget -- or ignore if you're a total asshat -- is that celebrities are people, too; they have feelings, just as we do. Would you like it someone was being unnecessarily cruel to you for NO REASON!? LEAVE WIL WHEATON ALONE!!!!
Wil, if you ever read this, this is totally meant as a tribute to you. I'm a huge fan, and just want people to stop giving you shit.
Wheaton was born in Burbank, California on July 29th, 1972 to actress Deborah "Debbie" Nordean (née O'Connor) and medical specialist, Richard William Wheaton, Jr. He has a brother, Jeremy, and a sister, Amy. He grew up an avid fan of the sci-fi series Star Trek.
His acting career began in 1981 with the television film A Long Way Home; his first film credit was the role of Martin Brisby in The Secret of NIHM, the animated adaption of Robert C. O'Brien's beloved novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Before appearing in 1986's Stand By Me, Wheaton has a minor role in 1984's The Last Starfighter, though his role as Louis's friend was, unfortunately, cut.
During his time filming on The Next Generation, Wil was able to meet his hero, William Shatner, Captain Kirk himself. The experience left him in tears, as detailed in his hilarious "William Fucking Shatner" story.
""Here's the absolute truth why I left Star Trek. I left Star Trek because it was seriously interfering with my career in feature films. I was in a situation where I was constantly having to pass on really good movie roles because I was on the series. I had a film career before Star Trek. People knew me before Star Trek. As a matter of fact, at Comic Con, a lot of people came up to me and said, "I started watching Star Trek because you were on it and I was fan of yours from Stand By Me and I stopped watching it after you left." I had a lot of people say that to me.After something like this had happened a lot of times, this was finally the last straw: I had been cast by Milos Foreman to be in Valmont. I had gone through lots and lots of callbacks, I had met Milos personally a number of times and he was really supporting me and telling me, "I want you in my movie." I was going to go to Paris and I was going to be in this movie and stuff and what happened was we were going to shoot it during the hiatus and the shooting schedule for Valmont would have carried me over about a week into the regular season schedule into Star Trek. I would have had to sit out the first episode of the year, right. That's not a big deal, it's not like I'm the fuckin' Captain, you know. At that point, I was the guy who pushed buttons and said, "Yes, sir!" So, I said to the people on Star Trek, "I need to be written out of this particular episode, because I'm going to do this movie and my film career's going to take off." This is after Gene Roddenberry had died. Had Gene been alive, it would have been no problem at all, because Gene was that kind of guy. Gene would have said, "Great! Go ahead, you do what you need to do," because he was that kind of person. After Gene died, a very different type of person took over and they said, "We can't write you out because the first episode of the season is all about you. It focuses entirely on your character and it's your story..." So, he said to me, "The story is entirely about you, we can't write you out." I said, "Well, this really sucks, but I'm under contract to you guys and if that's your call and if that's what you say I have to do, I have to do." I had to pass on the movie.A couple of days before the season was ready to premiere, they wrote me out of the episode entirely. What they were doing was they were sending me a message. The message was, "We own you. Don't you ever try to do anything without us." That was the last straw for me. I called my agents and said, "They don't own me. It's time for me to leave this show, it's time for me to be gone." That's what really pushed me over the edge. It's not worth it anymore. That's why I left."
He was written out of The Next Generation, but appeared in two episodes of the fifth and seventh seasons, as well as an appearance in the final film in the series, Nemesis.
After appearing as Joey Trotta in 1991's Toy Soldiers, Wheaton moved to Topeka Kansas, a time he recalls as a period of growth, and the time away from the acting world and Los Angeles, helped him with his anger. He began working at NewTech, helping to develop the Video Toaster 4ooo, as a quality control and product tester. He became a technology evangelist for the product, using his public platform.
He eventually moved back to LA and enrolled in acting school for five years. Much to his disappointment, his acting career did not take off as well as he'd hoped. Despite roles in indie films such as The Good Thing and Jane White Is Sick & Twisted, the latter of which garnered him the Best Actor Award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. His favorite movie he's worked on is Mr. Stitch, which was released in 1995.
In 1999, Wheaton married the love of his life, Anne Prince. He later adopted her older son at the age of 19, upon his request. Wil and Anne are still happily together. He has a tattoo of her heartbeat on his left arm, so that he can carry her with him wherever he goes; he chose his left arm, because he's left-handed and that makes him feel like she's guiding him.
With his acting career facing a dismal future, Wil started experimenting with GeoCities and developed a weblog -- before blogs were cool -- the aforementioned Wil Wheaton DOT Net. Despite initial cruelty from fucktards, the blog blew up and was eventually adapted into his two of memoirs: Dancing Barefoot and Just A Geek. As of 2018, he has 13 published works to his name, available both in print and in digital. He also has his own comic book series -- with Felicia Day -- called The Guild: Fawkes. He appears in the comic book PS 238 as himself, but with telekinesis. Wil Wheaton DOT NET is still active, offering Wil's thoughts and feelings on his acting career, gaming, his family, his struggles with chronic depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and his love of poker.
Besides acting and writing, Wil Wheaton has also dabbled in hosting His talk show The Wil Wheaton Show ran for a year on the ScyFy channel before getting cancelled, however, in 2012, he co-created the webseries TableTop with Felicia Day. The fourth season aired in 2017. As of 2018, it has not yet been canceled.
Wil has enjoyed a successful career as a voice-over actor in cartoons such as Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go!, Family Guy, and Kyle + Rosemary, as well as video games like Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and San Andreas, Code Name S.T.E.A.M., Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks, and Fall Out: New Vegas.
Since 2009, Wheaton has made guest appearances on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory as a comedically arrogant version of himself, as well as appearing on Eureka, Leverage, The Weakest Link, Criminal Minds, and Numb3rs.
Last, but certainly not least, he is a member of the EarnestBorg9, a traveling improv/sketch comedy troupe, performing when and where his schedule permits. There is lterally nothing that Wil Wheaton cannot do.
He still makes appearances at conventions and is a frequent guest of the Star Trek cruises.
I don't understand how anyone could have a bad word to say about Wil Wheaton. He is literally the coolest dude ever, and the nicest person. The man literally has his wife's heartbeat tattooed on his arm! Seriously, stop the hate! If you didn't like the character of Wesley, hate Wesley, not the actor who portrayed him. It's not like Wil had any control over his character. And, really, who has nothing better to do than attack a celebrity that you have never met? I wish I had that amount of free time to kill. What we tend to forget -- or ignore if you're a total asshat -- is that celebrities are people, too; they have feelings, just as we do. Would you like it someone was being unnecessarily cruel to you for NO REASON!? LEAVE WIL WHEATON ALONE!!!!
Wil, if you ever read this, this is totally meant as a tribute to you. I'm a huge fan, and just want people to stop giving you shit.
If you care to follow Wil on social media -- and of course you do, assuming you have great taste, you can follow him on Twitter at @wilw, on Instagram at itswilwheaton, and of course, check out his blog at Wil Wheaton DOT Net.
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